Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced on Sunday that he was suspending his presidential campaign and endorsing former President Donald Trump.
DeSantis’ announcement came after he stayed in second place throughout the entire time that he was a presidential candidate.
“Citizens do not serve politicians. It is the duty of politicians to serve you. Talk is cheap. Actions speak louder than words,” DeSantis said. “Reversing the decline of this nation requires leadership that delivers big results for the people we are elected to serve. I have a record of leading with conviction, championing an agenda marked by bold colors, delivering on my promises, and defeating the people who are responsible for our nation’s decline. That is the type of leadership we need for all of America.”
He said that he and his wife Casey prayed about what they should do after he finished second place in Iowa.
“If there was anything I could do to produce a favorable outcome, more campaign stops, more interviews, I would do it. But I can’t ask our supporters to volunteer their time and donate their resources if we don’t have a clear path to victory. Accordingly, I am today suspending my campaign. I’m proud to have delivered on 100% of my promises, and I will not stop now.”
DeSantis said that it became clear that a majority of GOP primary voters wanted to give Trump another chance.
“They watch his presidency gets stymied by relentless resistance, and they see Democrats using lawfare to this day to attack him,” he said. “While I’ve had disagreements with Donald Trump, such as on the coronavirus pandemic and his elevation of Anthony Fauci, Trump is superior to the current incumbent Joe Biden. That is clear. I signed a pledge to support the Republican nominee and I will honor that pledge. He has my endorsement because we can’t go back to the old Republican Guard of yesteryear, a repackaged form of warmed over corporatism that Nikki Haley represents.”
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”
– Winston Churchill pic.twitter.com/ECoR8YeiMm
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) January 21, 2024
The race was permanently altered after Trump was indicted by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, according to top polling experts.
NBC News analyst Steve Kornacki said during a recent analysis that there were multiple polls that showed DeSantis ahead of Trump after Florida was one of the lone bright spots after last year’s midterm elections. Polling averages showed the race between Trump and DeSantis being within 10 points.
However, after Trump was indicted, a sizeable percentage of Republicans came back to supporting Trump and three additional subsequent indictments further rallied Republican voters around the former president.
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